M. Donice Byrd - The Warner Saga (25 page)

Meredith opened the paper and read Agnes Donovan’s note asking if they would pay for information about Meredith.

“Oh, my.”

“We will concoct a story to go into the paper on Sunday because I have no doubt the truth is quite scandalous.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I don’t mean to be indelicate but is there any
possibility you will have a child in less than nine months from your real wedding day?”

Meredith, sipping her tea, choked. “No,” she said when she finally stopped coughing.

“Good, then you may keep your real anniversary,” she said removing a small tablet and pencil from a side table. “Where are you from?”

“
Minnesota.”

“That’s one of those places where nearly everyone is Lutheran, isn’t it?”

Meredith nodded.

“Fine.
We will say you met two years ago in Minneapolis and have been corresponding since. He has visited you several times with your parents chaperoning. You were married in the Lutheran Church and your father cried.”

“My parents were killed by Sioux. Donna called me one of his strays.” She cast her eyes down and bit her lip.

Cloris set down her refreshments and took Meredith’s hand.

“You poor dear.
I’m so sorry. I didn’t know,” she patted her hand and then pulled back. “We can use that. You met in Minneapolis, corresponded for two years and when you wired him about your parents, he came immediately and married you. It’s a far better story than he deserves. But everyone will think it’s romantic.” Cloris frowned at Meredith. “You should be wearing black.”

“My parents would not have wanted me to wear black.”

Frowning, Mrs. Billingsham looked deep in thought for a moment. “I suppose it only makes sense Blake should marry someone like you. He cannot walk past a child on the street without giving them two bits.”

“I’m sure they remind him of
himself.”

“Are you implying my father did not take responsibility for him?” The woman speared her with a hard look. Her mouth was drawn tight and her eyes narrowed at her.

Meredith drew back at her tone. “No, I was referring to after his mother died and Blake did not know where to find your father and he lived on the streets for several months.”

“Did he tell you that?” It sounded like an accusation.

“No, Donna did. She’s the one who found him.”

Cloris suddenly stood up and placed her dishes on the tray giving Meredith her back. “I know you have an appointment with the estate agent. Do not tell him where you are getting the money.”

“But what if Blake comes and doesn’t want the house?” What if he denied they were married? Criminy, she’d look like the worst kind of fool.

“Sell the house and repay me then,” Cloris said. “I’ll have my attorney draw up a promissory agreement.”

Meredith set down her unfinished tea and rose to her feet.

“I will come get you tonight for the Mayor’s Gala. My maid, Sally, will arrive two hours prior to help you pick out an appropriate gown and to help you with your hair,” Cloris said walking her to the door. “Whenever I come to get you, I will pick you up at the time on the invitation. I hate being the first one there.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Billingsham. I do understand why you are helping me and I would like to thank you.”

“I am helping you because Donna telegraphed me and asked me to help. I am not the benevolent
humanitarian you give me credit for.”

24

Meredith stepped into the carriage with trepidation. She did not want to go to the Mayor’s Gala at all and to go with Cloris Billingsham after their unpleasant discussion made her want to attend even less.

“Good evening, Mrs. Warner,” Cloris said in a friendly tone. “I’d like you to meet my husband and two of my children. This is my daughter, Palentina, and my son, Phillip. Children, you remember Aunt Donna and Uncle Hamilton’s friend, Mr. Warner. This is his new wife, Meredith Warner.”

Meredith was surprised the children had not been informed Blake was their uncle. She supposed it was because children might not understand the consequences of letting the truth slip but it seemed that Palentina and Phillip were old enough to be told.

“It’s nice to meet you,” the seventeen-year-old Palentina chimed in immediately.

“I’m Frederick Billingsham,” her husband said extending his hand.

“It’s nice to meet you, Dr. Billingsham, Miss Billingsham,
Mr. Billingsham.”

“Did you find a house?” Cloris asked.

“I think so,” Meredith said pensively. “I had no idea the houses were going to be so large and expensive.”

Meredith didn’t know if Cloris had told her husband of their arrangement so she didn’t bring up that Cloris had offered to loan her the money.

“Posh, I’m sure your husband can afford anything you choose. Tell me which house was your favorite?”

“I believe the previous owner’s name was Pembrook.”

“And why that one, my dear?”

“Honestly, because there was already a great deal of furniture in it and until Blake arrives, I am reluctant to make any more large purchases.”

“Speaking of Mr. Warner,” Frederick said. “When are you expecting him?”

“I don’t know really. He was called away on business and was supposed to return two weeks ago.”

“And what kind of work does he do?”

Meredith thought the question was odd. The Billingshams obviously knew Blake. Why then wouldn’t
Frederick know what kind of work he did?

“I think he’s a government courier.”

Frederick chuckled. “Why do you think he’s a courier?”

“When the cavalry lieutenant told me the details of my parents’ deaths he said my parents were found by a courier. Then I overheard Blake tell Donna he found my parents’ bodies and when he left he gave me a letter saying he was going south on business and he might get killed or captured.”

Cloris gasped. She pointed her finger at her children and shook it as she spoke. “Palentina and Phillip, if you repeat a word of that, you will be shipped off to boarding school. Really, Mrs. Warner” she said pointing her finger at Meredith. “You’d think you would have more sense than to make these wild assumptions and leap to these ridiculous conclusions. Your husband is a man of leisure who lives off his family’s wealth. How could he have found their bodies when you wired him and told him they were dead?”

A moment of uncomfortable silence passed as the occupants of the carriage all eyed Cloris, shocked at her outburst, before
Frederick spoke.

“Have you had any word from him?”

“Donna received a telegram saying he was well but delayed. I’m hoping he’ll join me soon.”

Meredith became an expert that night on the inflection in people’s voices when they said, “Oh!” It seemed the first word out of everyone’s mouth when they found out she was married to Blake Warner was, “Oh!”

Mostly, they were
Oh’s
of surprise but Meredith instinctively knew the women he’d slept with. There were several different
Oh’s
with those women. The ones who wanted to marry him said it with tight lips and annoyed tones. They tended to be rude and always made a hasty excuse to leave. The women who were embarrassed over their indiscretion were even more embarrassed to be face-to-face with his wife. Their
Oh
!
was high-pitched, their hand involuntarily lifted to their mouths and their eyes not meeting Meredith’s, their excuses immediate as they hurried off.

The last group of women had gone to his bed knowing he was offering nothing more than a little
recreation between the sheets. Most of them would gladly return to their role if given the chance. They spoke the long drawn out
Oooh
! with a knowing smile. She got the distinct impression that a couple of them wanted to tell her.

It was Rebecca Grant who rescued her from the constant barrage of people to whom Cloris introduced her.

“You clean up nicely,” Rebecca whispered in her ear drawing her attention. She hooked her arm through Meredith’s and led her away.

“Are there any women here Blake hasn’t slept with?” Meredith asked looking quite upset.

Rebecca thought about it for a moment and began looking around. “Besides me? See that woman by the punch bowl?”

Meredith located the refreshment tables and
spied an elderly woman who must’ve been eighty years old standing next to it. Meredith chuckled.

“Should we go see if the mayor’s wife…?”

“No, please, I prefer not to know.”

After days on the train, the trio dragged into the lobby of the Regent Arms Hotel.

“Out!”
Agnes Donovan shouted when they were about ten feet inside. “You little urchins leave that gentleman alone. We’ll not have riffraff bothering the guests at this hotel.”

“Mrs. Donovan, these children are with me.” Blake said, his annoyance edging his voice. “This is my daughter, Lolly and the tall quiet one is my son, Pete.”

Behind his back, Pete’s look went from surprise to overt hostility.

“Oh, excuse me, I didn’t realize.”

“We’ve been on the train for days and we just want to go to our room.”

Pete and Lolly sat down in chairs in the lobby while Blake approached the desk.

“Mr. Warner, it’s so good to see you back. I have to say you are full of unexpected surprises.”

Blake looked over his shoulder at Pete and Lolly then turned back smiling. “I suppose I am. Do you have any two bedroom suites available?” In light of Pete’s recent attempt to run away, Blake knew he should probably share a two-bed room with them as he had been doing. Because Pete had been having nightmares, Blake had allowed him to leave the lantern burning lowly and the light was interrupting Blake’s sleep.

“Oh, of course, let me check. I could hardly expect all four of you to fit in Mrs. Warner’s room.”

“Mrs. Warner?”

“Your wife.”

Agnes watched Blake’s reaction carefully. Although she had no proof to doubt Meredith Warner’s assertion that she was Blake Warner’s wife, there was still doubt in Agnes’s mind. She never thought Blake was the kind of man who would settle down with one woman.

“Meredith is here?”

Agnes wasn’t sure who was more surprised she or Blake Warner. “You weren’t expecting her to meet you here?”

“I was going to send for her after I arrived,” he lied smoothly, feeling mixed emotions at the prospect of seeing her.

Mrs. Donavan smiled widely remembering one of their last conversations before he left. “I see you got over your fear of redheads.”

Blake laughed heartily. “Oh, Mrs. Donavan, you have no idea how much that one scares me. Why do you think I found such a small one? And her hair is barely red.  It gives me a whole new respect for Mr. Donavan.”

Agnes’s face turned almost as red as her hair. “Mr. Warner!”

“What room is she in?”

“I put her in room 222 but she’s gone out for the evening.”

“Gone out?”

Agnes prided herself in her knowledge of the comings and goings of the socially elite. She knew who was inside a closed carriage by the coachman and footmen riding outside. She also kept abreast of society parties, galas and balls. “I believe Mrs. Warner was picked up by Mrs. Billingsham. I can’t say for certain where they were going but I know the mayor is having a gala tonight
and since Mrs. Billingsham is a member of another political family, I suspect that is where she has gone.”

“Mrs. Billingsham? How odd. She and I hard
ly circulate in the same crowds.”

“I assume Mrs. Daily has asked her to introduce her around since Mrs. Billingham’s is her sister.”

Blake schooled his expression. He shouldn’t be surprised to find Agnes knew he and Donna were close considering he received occasional letters from Donna and they always spent time together when she and Hamilton came to visit but for some reason he was.

“I’m sure you’re quite right, Mrs. Donovan. How long has my wife been here?”

“She arrived yesterday afternoon.”

“About the suite….”

“Yes, I do have one available. It’s five dollars a night but well worth the price.”

“Send up a bath, the trunks I left with you and some food for the children. Have my horse boarded at the livery and have Meredith’s things moved into the suite.”